Son of Mine
by Katerineious
Summary: Kenshin finds a lost child in the department store and helps return him to his mother. What he doesn't expect is the one person he has searched for the last five years.
1. A Chance Encounter

So I couldn't concentrate on studying for my biomaterials exam tomorrow and wrote this instead. But I guess it's okay since I'm planning on changing majors anyway.

This is an alternate universe story and the characters really aren't themselves. This chapter moves very quickly and is a little to conveint, but I just wanted to write this. It sucks, but thank you for reading it anyway.

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Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter

"Oomph!" The sound rushed past Kenshin's teeth and lips as something collided with his lower half. He looked down with wide violet eyes to see the frightened face of child with a tear stained face. He noticed the vibrant red hair on the boy's head and his bright blue eyes, but didn't have time to dwell on those thoughts as said child was shaking against his frame from crying as he clung to Kenshin's legs in his fear.

Kenshin sighed and managed to loosen the boy's arms so he could squat down to his level. The boy took half a step backwards and looked at Kenshin uncertainly as his sobbing increased. "I won't hurt you." Kenshin reached his left hand out to the boy. "Okay?" The child nodded and took his hand, allowing Kenshin to pull his small frame against his larger one. Kenshin ran his hand up and down the boy's back in an attempt to calm him.

Once the boy's sobbing had stopped Kenshin took a tissue from his pocket and dried his tear and mucous covered face. Kenshin couldn't help but smile at the blue eyes that were wide with apprehension. "Are you lost?"

"Uh-huh," he said as he shook his head.

"Are your parents here?"

"Momma."

"Okay. I'm Mr. Kenshin. Can you tell me your name?"

"Un-uh."

"Your mom told you not to tell your name to strangers?" The boy nodded his head. "That's fine." There was a pause as he moved the tissue over the boy's face some more. "Do you want me to help you find her?" Another nod. "Did you get lost in this store?"

"Uh-huh."

Kenshin tucked the tissue into his pocket and stood. He reached down and took the small boy's hand in his own. "Alright, let's go find her. Which way did you come from?" The boy pointed to the left and they started to walk along the aisle.

Before Kenshin could take his third step a loud cry of 'KENJI' made him face the direction they had just come from. He looked down to the boy holding tightly to his hand. "Is your name Kenji?" The boy nodded as he looked in the direction the shout had come from. Kenshin began walking in that same direction. "I think we'll find your mom soon." Kenji just nodded again.

Kenshin and Kenji turned the corner as another shout of the boy's name broke the low hum of the department store's noise. Kenshin saw a slender, raven-haired woman rushing through the aisle and stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes were wide and sweat started accumulating on his brow. So focused on only her was he that he didn't notice Kenji had released his hand until he saw the boy jump into the woman's arms. "Kaoru . . ." he whispered.

"Oh, Kenji, I'm so glad I found you! Don't ever run off like that again! You scared me!"

"I'm sorry, Momma!" Kenji said as his tears began anew.

"It's okay, baby. You're safe now."

Kenji turned in his mother's arms to look at the man he had run into. "Thank you, Mr. Kenshin."

Kaoru's head snapped up at her son's statement. Her gaze moved to the man she hadn't seen in five years. Her body went rigid as her mind registered who was standing before her.

"Kaoru."

She felt as if her body would melt from hearing his voice again after so long. He said her name again and she forgot how to breathe. Kaoru's fear began to overcome the shock as the one man she had vowed to never see again began walking towards her. Her eyes were locked on his and she noticed the color change. Her arms wrapped tightly around her son and hoisted him to her hip as she stood to face the angry man stalking towards her.

Kenshin breathed heavily through his nose as he suppressed a growl. He stopped less than a foot from her and looked down into her fearful blue eyes. The same eyes he had fallen in love with all those years ago. The same eyes of the scared little boy who he had just helped. The same eyes he had searched for relentlessly and was beginning to think he would never see again. He blinked slowly to clear his thoughts. When his eyes opened, they were still amber but now focused on the child in Kaoru's arms instead of her. They flashed back up to hers and this time he couldn't stop the growl in his words. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She raised her chin defiantly. "Tell you what?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

"I'm afraid I don't."

"You're holding him in your arms right now, aren't you?"

"Kenji?" She stared up at him for a few seconds before continuing. "Who said he's yours? I haven't seen you in years. I could have gotten married for all you know."

"There aren't that many redheads in this country and I don't see a ring on your finger."

"Well, you don't need to worry about him. Thank you for saving him, but just forget you saw us today and go back to Tomoe. Goodbye, Kenshin." She moved to turn around but he grabbed her elbow and spun her around to face him once again.

"I won't allow you to walk away from me a second time."

Kenji had watched the exchange and had no idea what was happening between the two adults. He looked up to Kenshin with his bright eyes before speaking. "Do you know Momma, Mr. Kenshin?"

"Yes, Kenji, I know your Mom very well. Or at least I thought I did." His eyes never left Kaoru's but his next words were intended for her. "You're coming with me. Now."

"No."

"Don't make a scene, Kaoru. We need to talk."

"There's nothing to discuss. You haven't been in his life so far and he doesn't need you now." She jerked her arm out of his grip. "Goodbye, Kenshin. We really have to get home." She began walking away from him.

Kenshin's quick steps brought him alongside her in half a second. "Where are you parked?"

"We took the bus."

He grabbed her elbow once more and began steering her towards a different exit. "Then I'll drive you. We need to talk."

Kaoru huffed but gave no other argument. She knew that after all these years he was just as stubborn as he had always been. Kenji began squirming in her arms and she had to put him down. Kenshin reached around her and grabbed one of Kenji's hands in his own, pulling him between them. Kaoru quickly grabbed his other one, determined not to let Kenshin take him away from her. Kenji's head whipped back and forth between the two adults but he said nothing.

Kenshin led them through the parking lot to a shiny black sedan. He opened the two passenger side doors before helping Kenji into the back seat while his mother sat in the front. Once his son was secured in the car he quickly walked to the driver's side and got in himself. He 

locked the doors, placed the key in the ignition and cranked up the engine. He moved his hand to the volume knob on the radio and muted it before turning to the woman sitting next to him. "Where do you live?"

"On—"

"Momma!"

"Kenji, we're talking."

"But I'm hungry!"

Kaoru sighed as Kenshin pulled out of the parking lot. "Let me get him something to eat. Then I'll take you home."

Kaoru crossed her arms and sank into the seat with her gaze focused out the window. "Fine."

"Where do you want me to go?"

"Anywhere. Like you he'll eat almost anything."

"Easy enough." Kenshin said as he maneuvered the car through the heavy traffic. He pulled into the first fast food restaurant he could find. Once the car was stopped her turned around to look at his son in the backseat. "Is this okay, Kenji?"

"Uh-huh," the redheaded boy said as he nodded his head, a big smile on his face. "Momma doesn't let me eat here a lot."

Kenshin had gotten out of the car and opened the door for the boy. "It's a treat then."

Kenji had already unbuckled his seat belt and scrambled out the open door. He grabbed Kenshin's hand and looked to his mother who was still sitting in the car. "C'mon, Momma!"

Kaoru sighed and exited the car as well. She followed the two redheads to the restaurant and walked inside as Kenshin held the door open for her.

Once inside, he pulled out his wallet and handed her a credit card. "Order whatever you like for Kenji and yourself. And I haven't eaten today so get me something as well."

She held the card out to him. "I don't need your money."

"Kaoru."

"Fine, whatever!"

"My tastes haven't changed," he called after her retreating back. She made no signal that she had heard him, but he knew she did. He sighed and looked down to the confused child holding onto his hand. "Where do you want to sit, Kenji?"

"By the window!"

"Okay, which booth?" Kenshin asked as they walked across the room.

Kenji pointed to the one in the corner. "That one." The boy led them over to the table he had pointed to and slid onto one of the benches. Kenshin meant to sit across from him but Kenji spoke before he could. "I want you to sit with me!"

Kenshin chuckled and moved to the other side of the booth. "Alright, Kenji."

A few moments later Kaoru appeared with a tray that contained a child's meal, an adult's meal, and three drinks. She placed the tray on the table and sat down opposite the two redheads. She removed Kenji's food and two of the drinks and pushed the tray towards Kenshin and returned his credit card before handing Kenji his food.

The small boy attacked the meal placed before him eagerly and looked up to the two adults with a contented smile on his face that quickly faded when he saw the hard looks they were giving each other. "Momma?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Kenji."

The boy gulped down his food and took a quick sip from his drink. "Momma, why are you so mad at Mr. Kenshin?"

Kaoru sighed. "Do you remember all those times you asked me why where your daddy was?"

Kenji nodded and recited: "Daddy is a very busy man and doesn't have time to come play with me but he loves me very much."

Kenshin was appalled at how rehearsed the words sounded and glared at the woman across from him who was purposefully turned away from him. She had closed her eyes and sighed again before speaking, deciding to be blunt with her son. "Kenji, Mr. Kenshin is your daddy."

Kenji turned his wide gaze from his mother to the man he had just been told was his father. "You're my daddy?"

"It would seem so."

"Why are you always so busy, Daddy? Why don't you come play with me?"

Kenshin wanted to smile after hearing Kenji call him that, but under the circumstances he just couldn't manage it. He allowed his eyes to flash in Kaoru's direction before giving his full attention to Kenji. Kenshin had never been of the belief that one should talk down to children just because they happened to be younger than you and spoke to his son as if he were an adult as well. "It's true that I am a busy man, Kenji, but that's not the reason I've never come to see you. Your mother did not tell me about you and so I did not know. If I did I would have played with you every day."

"Will you play with me today?"

Kenshin glanced back to Kaoru and managed to smile down at his son. "Of course."

Kenji's face lit up. "Really?"

"Yes, now eat."

"Okay!" Kenji's attention returned to his food and he quickly began devouring it.

Kenshin looked away from Kenji to Kaoru. "Aren't you eating?"

"I don't have much of an appetite today."

Kenshin shrugged his shoulders and began eating his own food. About halfway through his meal he noticed that Kenji had finished and now full was getting sleepy. He yawned and laid down on the bench, using his father's lap as a pillow. Kaoru's eyes narrowed but Kenshin kept eating as if nothing had happened but inwardly he was beaming, so excited that his son had accepted him so quickly.

"It's his naptime," Kaoru said in an attempt to break the oppressing silence.

"I noticed."

"What do you want from me, Kenshin?"

"For starters, I want to know why you neglected to tell me I had a son."

"I never intended for you to ever find out. I didn't want to see you again."

"Selfish."

"No more than you," she snapped.

"What are you talking about? I gave you everything!"

"Everything except your heart! That always belonged to someone else!" Kaoru's voice had gotten louder as she spoke.

"Quiet, you'll wake him."

"Agh!"

"How could you have ever doubted my love for you? You're the one who left me high and dry on the night before our wedding."

"It's not as if you spent the night pining for company."

"What are you talking about? You were supposed to come over and never did."

"Oh, I came over alright! I came over only to find you in Tomoe's arms the night before we were supposed to get married!"

"Tomoe came over to try one last time to stop the wedding and I got rid of her! She threw herself at me as I was pushing her out the door!"

"And I'm just supposed to believe you?"

"Considering you've lied to me for the last five years and I have been only truthful with you, yes."

"Can we just go?"

"Fine. You throw the trash away; I'll carry him to the car."

Kaoru got up silently and walked across the room to the trash cans. Kenshin scooped Kenji into his arms, careful not to wake him. Kaoru was waiting at the door and held it open for him and followed him into the parking lot where she opened the car door for him. That done, she got into her seat and waited for Kenshin.

Kenshin laid his son across the seat and covered him with a blanket he kept in the backseat. Once he was sure Kenji was comfortable he quietly closed the door and got into the driver's seat. He placed the key in the ignition but didn't start it. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white and his breathing way heavy.

Kaoru looked over to him to see why they weren't moving and didn't like what she saw. "What's wrong?"

Kenshin kept staring straight ahead. "I never stopped thinking about you. I searched for you for five years and couldn't find anything."

"That's because I didn't want to be found."

"Where were you hiding?"

"In the one place you would never look."

"Obviously."

"The one place you vowed to never return."

Kenshin's head snapped to the side at her statement. His eyes were flashing amber as he glared at her incredulously. "Father's?"

"Where else? I couldn't support both of us on my own and my parents are dead."

"Why did you go to him for help instead of me?"

"I didn't _go_ to him. He found me while I was job hunting during my seventh month and told me to move in with him. I knew that he wouldn't tell you unless I wanted to and I was tired of constantly changing apartments so you couldn't find me. You said you would never go back to that house and true to your word, you didn't. "

Kenshin tightened his grip on the steering wheel even more to stop himself from hitting something in his anger. He was angry at Kaoru for lying to him, for keeping his son from him. He was angry at his own father for not telling him where she was when he knew how he was searching for her. He was angry at himself for his own foolishness. "Why didn't you confront me? Most women would have."

"I'm not most women."

"That's an understatement."

"Whatever. Look, I saw you with your ex-girlfriend in what was supposed to be _my _home. What was I supposed to think? So I left and decided to just give it a few days to see what happened. But you never even called."

"I called you at least a hundred times that night alone! Ask Father if you don't believe me since you're so close to him! I still don't understand that."

"I won't deny him his grandchild."

"But you'll deny me my son? What kind of logic is that?"

Kaoru deliberately ignored his question. "Anyways, I figured I would give it a few days and you never called. I was going to talk to you and then I started getting sick. Megumi noticed and ran some tests and told me I was pregnant. After that I decided a clean break was best because I didn't want _that woman_ having anything to do with my child."

"But nothing was happening between us! I even got a restraining order against her!"

"How was I supposed to know that after what I saw?"

"You could have asked."

"It wasn't worth it."

"Not worth it? We were engaged! You were pregnant with my child! How was that not worth it?"

"It just wasn't, okay? Not then, not now."

"Father obviously knows since you're living with him. And you said that Megumi is the one who told you so that means Sano knows as well. Who else knows about my son and didn't tell me?"

"Do you really want to know the answer to that?"

"Yes."

"Pretty much everyone. Misao and Aoshi, Yahiko and Tsubame, Tokio and Saito, Ta—"

"Saito knows?"

"Of course. Who do you think was been giving you false information on behalf of the police department?"

This time Kenshin couldn't control himself and slammed his fist into the dashboard. He turned his golden glare onto her so fiercely it stole her breath. "Dammit Kaoru! What in the seven layers of Hell would possess you to act this way? Now sane person would have done what you did! If you truly didn't want me to find you, you would have left town instead of moving in with my father! So why did you do it? And don't you dare say Tomoe because we both know that's a lie!"

"I WAS SCARED OKAY? ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?"

Kenji had begun to stir from her shouts. They both went completely still until he rolled over and pulled the blanket tighter around him.

"Don't wake him," Kenshin said fiercely, breaking the silence.

"Don't you start acting like his parent now!"

"I would have acted this way for the past five years if I had known! It's not like I walked out on you two! Don't get mad at me for not being there—it's your fault!"

"Just blame me for all this!"

"Fine, I will."

"Ugh! Just take us home!"

"Not until you answer my question."

"I did answer your question!"

"You didn't tell me what you were scared of!"

"I don't feel like it. Just take us home and then you can forget about us."

"I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers."

"Then I'll call a Taxi."

"If you leave now and try to hide from me again I'll take you to court for custody rights."

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me. I don't intend to miss another second of his life and I'll be damned if I let you keep him from me any longer than you already have."

"Fine, I'll answer your question." Kaoru sighed and closed her eyes to hold back her tears. "I was afraid you really were going back to her and would only marry me to do what was right. I was afraid that you didn't love me anymore. I was afraid you would take him away from me."

"I still love you, Kaoru. I never stopped loving you. And I don't want to take Kenji away from you, but you can't expect me to stay out of his life now that I know. He needs his father."

"He's done just fine without you so far."

"That's why he took to me so quickly, is it?"

"Kenshin, please."

"Fine, we're going!" he said as he viciously turned the key, starting up the car. He backed out of the parking space and pulled out into the traffic once again.

They sat in silence for at least ten minutes before Kaoru noticed her surroundings. "This isn't the right way."

"Of course it isn't."

"This isn't the way to your house either."

"I know that."

"Then where are we going?"

"The courthouse."

"WHAT?"

"I swear I will not be happy if you wake him up!"

"Why?" she growled.

"You have two options, Kaoru: you can marry me today or we can begin a custody battle. It's your choice."

"That's blackmail!"

"You haven't played fairly so why should I?"

"This is why I didn't want you to find out! I knew you were going to take him from me! We can't all be as rich as you!"

"This has nothing to do with money. I know you've both been well cared for by Father. This is about you walking out on me without a word. This is about you hiding yourself and my child from me for five years." Kenshin parked his car for the third time that day and turned off the engine. He turned to look at the shocked woman in the seat next to him. "I already told you my feelings for you never changed. I still love you as much as I did the day you agreed to marry me. You were the only thing that saved me from destroying myself." There was a pause as his face softened and his gaze began to slowly return to violet. "Tell me you don't still love me. Tell me you don't still care for me after birthing our child. Tell me after everything that happened between us you don't still feel the same way."

Kaoru made the mistake of looking into those violet orbs that seemed to bore through her. Her breath caught in her chest again as she began wringing her hands in her lap. "I . . . I can't." The last word was barely a whisper but she knew that he heard her.

"Then marry me. Today. Right now. Just like we planned five years ago."

"But, Kenji . . ." Kaoru said, looking to her son asleep in the backseat.

"Would you prefer I asked his permission? Either way, I won't be deterred." Kaoru nodded. "Very well, we need to wake him to take him inside anyway."

Kenshin unbuckled his seat belt and exited the car. He moved to the back door and got in the backseat with his son. After shutting the door behind him he pulled Kenji into his lap and began softly calling his name to rouse the young boy.

Kenji's heavy eyes fluttered open and focused on the man holding him. "Daddy?"

"It's me, Kenji."

"You didn't leave?"

"No." There was pause as Kenji yawned and stretched. "Kenji, I have a question to ask you, okay?"

"Okay."

"Is it alright if I marry your mom?" Kenji just looked at him with a confused expression and Kenshin tried to put it in terms the boy could understand. "Your mom and I knew each other a long time ago and haven't seen each other in five years. I still love your mom as much as I did then and I want you and your mom to come live with me. Would you like that?"

Kenji smiled widely and threw his arms around his father. "So you'll play with me every day?"

Kenshin chuckled. "Every day."

"I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, Kenji," Kenshin said as he tightened his arms around the small boy that resembled him so much and placed a kiss on the top of his head.

Kenji looked up to his father. "You still love Momma?"

"Yes."

The boy looked to his mother in the front seat. "Do you love Daddy, Momma?"

"Yes, Kenji, I do." Kenshin saw the defeated look on her face as she answered him.

"Then let's go to Daddy's house!"

Kenshin chuckled again. "We can't go just yet."

Kenji crossed his arms and stuck his bottom lip out in a pout. He couldn't understand why the grown-ups wanted to ruin his fun. "But you said I could."

"Your mom and I are going to go into this building and get married first. Then we'll go by your grandpa's house and get your toys so we can move them to my house, okay? How does that sound?"

Kenji just smiled, oblivious to the pain his parents were experiencing as the trio walked up the steps to the large building to secure their future together.

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I don't know if I'll continue this or not, at this point I could leave it as a one-shot. Depends on how many reviews I get. Flame if you must.


	2. Discussion With Father

You wanted it and here it is. The oneshot has become a story. I really hadn't planned to continue this, but I couldn't ignore how much input I received. This still isn't a story I'm too fond of so I ask that you continue to support me to keep it going. I know that there are many of you who reviewed for the last chapter and didn't receive a reply. In the past I just have done much of it but now I'm trying to reply to everyone I can. Please know that your support does not go unappreciated.

I'm going to try something different with this story than I've done with my others. Each chapter is going to be a different scene so the chapters will all vary greatly in length. Also, the next chapter won't take as long as it did for me to get this one up, but it probably won't be until after next week.

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Chapter 2: Discussion With Father

"Papa Hiko! Papa Hiko!"

The large dark haired man released a deep belly laugh as the small child burst into the room and jumped into his lap. "Hello, Kenji," he said as he gave his grandson a hug.

After being released from the hug Kenji placed both hands on his grandfather's face and looked into his eyes before speaking, his tone both serious and excited. "Guess what!"

"What?"

"Guess!" he commanded.

Hiko scrunched up his face in mock concentration. "Hmm . . . you behaved for Mommy today?"

"No!"

Hiko laughed. "So you didn't behave today?"

"I was good! But that's not what you're supposed to guess."

"Let me try again . . . you got a puppy?"

"No dogs. They're mean," Kenji said with a pout.

"I thought you might have changed your mind." Hiko brought one of his large hands from the boys side to tap his forehead. "Mommy bought you a new toy?"

"Better!"

"Better than a new toy?" the older man asked, his eyes wide with feigned shock. "What could be better than a new toy?"

Kenji let out a frustrated sigh as he squirmed out of his grandfather's arms to the floor to start running out of the room. Halfway there he turned around and held his hands up to Hiko. "Stay right here."

With a serious countenance and tone Hiko simply said, "Yes, sir."

Kenji gave a satisfied nod and resumed his quick pace out.

Hiko couldn't help but laugh at the boisterous child's antics. However, his humorous mood was destroyed when a laugh he hadn't heard in five years interrupted his. Sobering instantly, he stood so he could face the door, crossing his arms with a look of contempt on his face.

"Hurry!" he heard Kenji saying from the hallway. The boy's only answer was another laugh from the person who was being led into Hiko's office.

The scowl on Hiko's face deepened as the door reopened, this time two redheads entering instead of one. The smaller of the pair had a huge grin on his face, his eyes bright with excitement. The other's eyes had narrowed upon seeing his father standing before him. And when his son wrenched his hand from Kenshin's to run across the room and jump into Hiko's waiting arms violet flashed to amber.

"Papa Hiko! Look!" the Kenji said as he tighten one arm around his neck so he could point to Kenshin with the other. "This is my Daddy!"

Hiko merely dipped his head in acknowledgement to his son. "Kenshin."

"Father."

Kenji looked from Hiko to Kenshin with confusion on his face. "You know Daddy?"

His grandfather sighed deeply. "Papa Hiko is your daddy's daddy."

Small eyes and mouth went wide with shock at the meaning of that short sentence. "Oh . . ."

Hiko knelt to put Kenji down. As soon as the child's feet touched the floor he ran back over to his father and wrapped his arms around his legs. Kenshin smiled down at his son as he smoothed his hair back down. "Why don't you go help your mother?"

"Okay!" he shouted as he scurried from the room.

Kenshin's eyes followed his son out the door. He waited a moment to compose himself before turning back to face his own father.

"I thought you were 'never stepping foot here again?'" Hiko asked as he resumed his seat.

Kenshin moved to sit opposite Hiko. "It would seem as though circumstances have changed."

"How?"

"Kenji ran into me at the mall. He was lost and I helped him find his mother who just happened to be my ex-fiancée who I have been searching for. I then find out the child is mine and that they have been living with my father. The same man who I have lunch with once a week and neglected to tell me of this all this time when he knew how important it was!

"She wasn't ready to go back to you."

"It doesn't matter! You should have told me she was pregnant! It would be different if she hid from me without a child! That I could have understood, but this! In y own father's house: How could you?"

"If you think for a moment that I didn't have the best intention when I took her in then you are more incompetent than I ever thought! Here both she and the child have had the best of care and have wanted for nothing. Here she is constantly bombarded by your memory by more than just knowing you sired her son. Here I have spoken to her on your behalf several times."

"And what did it amount to?"

"You're here now aren't you?"

"Dammit, Dad!"

"She was hurt more than you can imagine!"

"You knew exactly what happened that night! Why didn't you explain it to her?"

"She wouldn't believe me when I did. Sano, Yahiko, Aoshi, and I all tried to explain to her that you weren't with Tomoe again, but she couldn't accept it. She needed time to heal. It was too soon after what happened to her with Enishi."

Kenshin released a sound of pure frustration as he pulled at his hair and bent his head towards the floor. The larger man moved to kneel before his son, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I never told her, but I promised myself that if by his fifth birthday she hadn't contacted you I would."

The redhead raised his head, disbelief in his eyes. "Why?"

"You're my son. We may not see eye to eye on many things, but every week I've been forced to endure the pain that radiates from your heart by her loss. I couldn't tell you before because I wanted to at least give her a chance to do it herself."

"I'm a father and I never knew . . . I've missed so much!"

"I knew this would be hard for you." He stood up. "I want to show you something." Kenshin nodded and got to his feet to follow his father across the room to a one of the cabinets that lined the walls, cocking his head to the side in confusion when Hiko knelt before one to unlock it with a key from his pocket. "Kaoru doesn't know about this."

"About what?"

Instead of answering Hiko moved away from the now open cabinet to allow Kenshin to view its contents. The younger man gasped as he viewed a collection of very large photo albums as well as an assortment of disks. There was also a series of large folders that looked to be over-flowing with papers and other materials.

Hiko smiled at the look of awe on his son's face. "I documented as much of his life as I could for you. And what I couldn't attain, your friends have supplied."

"How didn't Kaoru find out?"

"She thinks it's just an old man being nostalgic. I meant it when I said that I had intended to tell you. I wanted you to be able to know as much about his life as possible."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Feh!" Hiko muttered as he moved back to his chair. "Now that you've calmed down, why don't you tell me what you plan to do now."

Kenshin sighed for the umpteenth time that day and returned to his father. "I forced her to marry me. We came here from the courthouse. She's packing up some of her things and Kenji's to begin moving them to my house. We'll get the rest of it over the next week."

Black eyes closed as Hiko nodded his head in approval. "You do know that this will mean putting up with your arrogant father more than once a week?"

"Yeah, I'm not gonna stop you from seeing him . . . or me."

Hiko just smiled.

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Okay, so please review and help me keep this going. I would love some suggestions for future happenings. I am planning a lemon in the very near future so ya'll can look foreward to that. Depending on how much help/support I get will help with the speed. This is the only story of I'm not still not sure about writing.


	3. Safety in Slumber

I'm sorry I took so long to get this up, but a lot of crap has happened in my life over the last few months and I've had neither the time nor motivation to write. I'm slowly getting back to my stories and I thank you all for your patience and support.

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Chapter 3: Safety in Slumber

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Kenji?"

"Is it bedtime?"

Kenshin chuckled at his son's question as he carried him up the stairs. "Since you already fell asleep, I think so."

"I—" the boy's words were cut off by a long yawn. "I like your house, Daddy."

"I'm glad, because its your house now," he said as he opened the door to his new room and carried him to the large bed.

Kenji slid quickly underneath the covers his father held up for him but when Kenshin lowered them he clutched the larger hand in his own. "Forever? You mean it?"

"I promise I will never make you leave."

This answer seemed to satisfy the small boy as he pulled the blankets tighter around his small body and closed his eyes. "Goodnight, Daddy."

"Your mom and I will be right down the hall if you need us," he whispered as he pulled the door almost closed.

When he raised his head, he saw his wife leaning on the wall wrapped in a thick robe. "Ready for bed?"

"He went down alright?"

"Just fine." Kenshin looked back to the door. "He seems happy, Kaoru."

Her face softened as she sighed. "He really does. Happier I think than I've ever seen him."

Kenshin walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder to guide her back to their room. She stiffened, but offered no other resistence to his touch.

"You avoided my question."

Lost in her thoughts, Kaoru looked up to him with a confused look on her face.

"Are you ready for bed? You're already dressed for it."

"Oh, yeah . . . I guess."

Smiling to himself, Kenshin closed the door to their bedroom, making sure to leave it unlocked incase the minature redhead needed acess to his parents. Kenshin grabbed a pair of lounge pants from the dresser and proceeded to the bathroom while Kaoru draped her robe across the back of a chair close to her side of the bed. The night was chilly and she quickly got in bed as she only wore a pair of shorts and a tank top for pajamas.

Laying on her side facing away from the bathroom door, Kaoru closed her eyes and attempted to relax her body. Starting at her feet and working her way up, she told herself over and over that there was nothing to be afraid of. That she had done all this before and the child a few rooms over was living proof of it. She was almost asleep when she heard the door seperating her from her husband creak open and set her heart to racing. Even though she kept her blue eyes closed, she was still able to tell when he turned the lights out and heard his soft footsteps as he crossed the room. It was too much too hope for when he crossed the midline of the massive bed to wrap one arm around her waist and pull her body flush with his.

"Kaoru . . ." he whispered to her just before placing a kiss at the back of her neck.

She forced herself to remain limp in his arms, daring to hope that he would think she was already asleep. She kept her breathing even although she longed to draw air deeply into her lungs to steady herself.

"I've missed you so much," he continued to whisper as his arms tightened around her. "I know you're not asleep, but I won't force you into anything else." He kissed her again. "All I've wanted is just to have you near me, its enough for now." He kissed her one last time before moving his head up to inhale her scent deeply. From there he pulled back to move to his side of the bed.

Kaoru felt her heart jerking as he pulled away from her and couldn't hold her voice in any longer. "Kenshin!"

He smiled to himself but kept his voice calm. "I won't bother you any more tonight."

"It's not that . . ." She drew in a deep breath to continue when he remained silent. "You can stay."

Kenshin settled back into place behind her, one arm wrapped around her waist. Kaoru shivered involunarily at feeling his bare chest against her arms this time.

"Cold?"

"A bit."

He chuckled to himself. "I'll keep you warm."

"Kenshin . . ." he tone was wary.

"I already promised not to do anything more than this didn't I?"

"Yes, but—"

"Then please just leave it at that. Can't you just accept that I wanted _you_ back." He received nothing in response other than a deep sigh. "It's been a long day, lets just get some sleep. We can talk more in the morning."

She nodded and he began to slowly and gently rub her arm to calm her.

"You remembered?"

"How could I forget? This is the way I used to put you to sleep everynight." There was a long pause as he studied her. "Have you missed it?"

"Um-hmm," her voice was heavy from the deep hold of sleep.

Moving his mouth to her ear, Kenshin lowered his voice and whispered to her again, "I know you don't want to hear this, but I still love you just as much as the day you left me. I'll never let you go again. This time we do things right."

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Please review. Your support keeps this going, even though it is taking a while. Thanks in advance to all of you that do, it is greatly appreciated.


	4. Breakfast is the Most Important Meal

Okay, I'm finally starting to get back into my writing. Thank you all for your patientce. This chapter is a little longer the the last two and I hope that and the knowledge that the next chapter won't be so long in coming will make up for the wait.

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Chapter 4: Breakfast is the Most Important Meal

Kaoru awoke the next morning to a room empty except for the sunshine. She sat up in the bed, stretching and yawning as she did so. After wiping the sleep out of her eyes she crossed the room to where her still unpacked luggage resided against the wall. After grabbing a pair of socks and placing them on her cold feet she opened the door to venture out into the rest of the house and discover where her redheads were.

Her cloth covered feet made little noise as she moved across the carpeted floors. Checking every room she passed, Kaoru eventually found her way to the kitchen all the while thinking about how silent the house was and hoping that Kenshin had not left with their son without telling her. He may be the boy's father and her former lover, now her husband, but that didn't mean that he had regained any of her trust. However, she was able to see the two redheads in question before her anger had truly risen. Kaoru wanted to watch Kenji interact with his father without her interference, so she stealthily moved to where she could see the two sitting at the kitchen table and not disturb them.

Kenshin and Kenji sat on opposite sides of the table with a plate of food before each. Both males held a fork fisted in their left hand which was firmly placed next to said plate. Above the table purple and blue eyes were engaged in a battle beneath furrowed brows; neither said a word as their lips were pursed into thin lines. Suddenly, Kenshin raised his fist and dropped it back to the table loudly. The next instant both he and Kenji attacked the food before them as though they had been starved for a month and this would be the only meal they would receive for another.

From where she leant against the wall, her frame half hidden, Kaoru couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand in an attempt to stifle the laughter that threatened to reveal her. Having figured out it was a sort of game they were playing she chuckled softly in spite of herself.

This continued until Kenshin slammed his hands down to the sides of his now empty plate causing Kenji to raise his head up with a look of shock. Kenshin smiled down at his son and reached for his glass of juice.

"Daddy! No fair!" Kenshin just laughed. "Daddy!"

"What?"

"I wanted to win."

"I'm sorry."

The pout on Kenji's face deepened. "No you're not!"

"You're right."

"Daddy!"

"Just finish your breakfast, Kenji."

"Are you gonna leave now that you're done?"

"I'm getting up from the table, but I'm not leaving the kitchen." He smiled at the confused look on his son's face. "You can come out now, Kaoru," he said as he turned to the doorway.

She smiled sheepishly as she entered the room. "I never could sneak up on you."

"No one else could either," he answered as he crossed the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah." She made to move to where her husband stood but he shook his head at her.

"You go on and sit. I'll fix you a plate."

While Kenshin busied himself with that task, Kaoru sat down next to her son who had reoccupied himself with eating but at a much slower pace. She smiled at him and ruffled his hair.

The boy swallowed the food in his mouth and looked up to her with a happy face. "'Morning, Momma."

"Did you sleep okay?"

"Um-hm."

"Is breakfast good?"

"Yeah! It's really yummy!"

She laughed. "I'm surprised you could taste any of it before." She turned to Kenshin before speaking again. "What possessed you two to have an eating contest?"

He just shrugged from across the kitchen as he spooned the last of the scrambled eggs onto her plate. "It just kind of happened. But it was fun, wasn't it Kenji?"

"Next time I'm gonna win!"

"We'll see. Daddy's awfully fast, though."

"But I'm gonna get bigger and then I'll be faster!"

"I bet you do, Kenji," his mother said. Her attention then turned to the man who had just placed a plate of food before her. "Thanks," she said as she looked up at him.

"No problem." Kenshin returned to his seat. Once there he proceeded to sip from his juice as he stared at his wife while she ate. Kaoru in turn blushed under his stare and kept her eyes on her plate.

The slight tension was broken by Kenji's words. "I'm done. Can I go play outside now?"

Kenshin didn't remove his eyes from Kaoru's face. "As soon as you go change out of your pajamas."

"Okay!" The smaller redhead jumped down from his seat and rushed from the room.

Kenshin chuckled softly to himself as he leant closer to Kaoru and brushed her bangs back from her face. "He has your energy."

"You think?"

"Yes." He was now kneeling on the floor beside her chair and continued to move closer until his lips were next to her ear. "It was one of the things that drew me to you." His voice lowered an octave. "And still does."

"Kenshin . . ."

"Kaoru."

"P-please, Kenshin."

"Please what?" She remained silent to which his reply was a slight nibble on her earlobe.

Kaoru shivered, but before she could say anything Kenshin was back in his seat looking at her as if nothing had happened. The next second Kenji was bounding into the room and rushing up to where his father was seated, thrusting his shoes in Kenshin's face.

"Daddy, I need you to tie my shoes."

"Alright, but you have to put them on your feet first."

"Okay."

While Kenji sat on the floor and fought to get his feet into his sneakers, his mother worked to regain her composure and finish off her breakfast so she could leave Kenshin's presence for a while. Kenshin on the other hand was smiling rather smugly to himself at Kaoru's reaction.

As soon as she was able without upsetting the boy, Kaoru placed both her and Kenji's dishes in the sink. "I'm going to take a shower," she said before leaving the room.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed, but he showed no other sign of acknowledgment than a nod of his head as Kenji stuck one of his now shoe-covered feet up to his lap.

"Are you going to come outside with me?"

"For a little bit."

"Yay!"

"Alright, now let me see the other foot." Kenji switched feet and Kenshin tied the other shoe for his son. "Here, all done."

"Now?"

"Yes, now, you silly boy." Kenshin directed Kenji to the back door and followed him into the large fenced-in yard.

Kenji immediately bolted out into the grass. "You can't catch me!"

"Oh, yeah?"

Kenshin darted off after his son and after almost catching him but narrowly missing the boy several times. Each time Kenji laughed and was energized for a small burst of speed to run towards the other side of the yard. This went on for nearly fifteen minutes until Kenshin took the initiative and closed the distance enough to catch the boy; Kenji seeing this tried to dodge but tripped and found himself tackled by his father who wasted no time in launching a tickling assault. Kenji's cries of for his father to stop were ignored.

"I caught you and now you have to face my wrath," he said before letting out a growl and redoubling his attacks. The air was filled with the shrieks coming from the smaller redhead at this point. These were matched with growls from the larger and the cycle continued.

Several minutes later Kenshin stopped the assault and pulled his son into a tight embrace that was returned fully. "I love you, Daddy," Kenji said breathlessly as he squeezed his father's neck.

"I love you, too, Kenji."

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"Please don't leave me. Ever."

Kenshin sighed and tightened his arms around the boy. "Never, never, Kenji." He placed a kiss atop Kenji's head. "But what about Momma?"

"I'll never leave Momma. She made me promise."

"She did?"

"Uh-huh. Momma says that she don't need anything but me and I don't like Momma to be sad so I'll never leave Momma."

"Will you leave me?"

Kenji scrunched his face up in concentration. "Momma lives with Daddy now?" Kenshin nodded his head. "And Momma has to stay with Daddy forever and always?" Kenshin nodded again. "So that means Kenji has to stay with Daddy." He smiled, proud of himself.

"Forever and always," Kenshin whispered against his son's hair.

"I'm rested now, Daddy. Can we go play some more?" Kenji asked as he squirmed out of his father's arms.

"Daddy needs to go back inside but you can stay out here as long as you want so long as you stay inside the fence, okay?"

"Okay!" he yelled as he rushed off to the closest tree and scrambled up into its lower branches.

Kenshin just laughed as he stood and walked back towards the house. He turned to wave at Kenji, but the boy was occupied with a squirrel that was in the tree next to his.

Deciding that the kitchen could wait to be cleaned until later, Kenshin took his shoes off by the back door and then made his way up to his bedroom where Kaoru was waiting. He slowly and silently opened the door and peeked into the room and when he didn't see her stepped inside. He looked to his left and saw the bathroom door ajar and steam slowly escaping into the bedroom, but heard no water running. Stalking to the bathroom, he pushed the door open further and saw her: Kaoru was facing away from the doorway, a dark blue towel covering her body from chest to knees as she brushed her hair. Silently Kenshin stripped himself of his shirt and stepped up behind her and took the brush from her hand.

Kaoru jumped as she released a shriek and when she turned around she was met with her husband's smirking face. "Kenshin! Don't' do that!"

He continued to look at her, his eyes roaming up from her feet to her eyes. Along the way he noticed just how the towel was hugging her curves that he, even after all this time, still knew so very well. He saw the hand she had placed over her heart as she tried to regain her breathing and how her breasts rose and fell rapidly beneath said hand.

Kaoru was loathe to admit that she was enjoying his attention and glad that her skin was already flushed from the heat of the water. Instead she meant to rebuke him for staring at her but when his eyes met hers all thoughts of it left as she looked into those violet depths. A strong hand on her shoulder broke her of her thoughts and she looked to the brush he was no holding before her.

"Allow me," he said as he guided her in turning back around.

She had forgotten just how much she had enjoyed it when he would brush her hair and quickly found herself relaxing under his ministrations. She shuddered slightly when he purposefully traced the bristles across the back of her neck and ignored the soft chuckles coming from him with closed eyes.

It came a shock to her when he suddenly pulled her body flush with his, his arms wrapped around her torso tightly and his lips releasing his hot breath against her ear. Though she had noticed his lack of shirt when she turned around earlier, she became much more aware of the fact once in his arms. "K-Kenshin, please . . ."

"That's the second time today you've said that." He gave her earlobe a slight nibble and lowered his voice before speaking again. "What is it that you want me to do?"

"I—"

"Do you want more?" he asked as he kissed his way down the column of her neck.

"I-I want you to s-stop."

"You don't mean that." She nodded to reaffirm her words but Kenshin knew better. "I've got you so hot and bothered right now that I know I could have what I wanted. You never stutter and just listen to you now." His mouth latched on to the dip of her shoulder and he bit down firmly, sucking as she did so.

Kaoru moaned out his name as she slumped against his frame for support, her eyes closed tightly, her breathing ragged.

A couple minutes later he release his hold of her shoulder and looked down at the now purple mark there. He kissed the spot lightly before speaking to her. "I know that you haven't been with anyone since you left me." She shook her head at his words. "I haven't either." He was kissing his way back up her neck now. "I knew that I would find you again. I never gave up hope."

Tears were burning the backs of Kaoru's closed eyes at the sincerity of his words and she bit her lower lip to help keep them down.

Kenshin was nuzzling his face into the junction of her shoulder and neck at this point. "I told you that I never stopped loving you and it's true. But what's also true is that I never stopped thinking about you, even for an instant. For over five years you've been the only thing I could think about." He tightened his arms. "And then I would think that maybe in that time you had found someone else and I couldn't bear the thought of you in the arms of another man and I would be sent in to such a jealous rage that not even Sano could calm me down. And now that I've finally got you again I find out just how much you hid from me and how every one that I called friend was aiding you in hiding from me while they could see just how much I was suffering. That hurts, Kaoru, that really hurts. To know that they hid not only you from me, but my son and you know just how much I longed for children with you."

Kaoru had quit trying to hold back the tears that were not steadily sliding down her face. Her body was shaking with silent cries and she nestled into his embrace further. "Kenshin—"

"You don't need to apologize to me; you did what you felt you had to do to be safe. I'm just so sorry that you felt you needed protection from me. Am I that frightening to you?"

"N-no! I-I just c-couldn't . . . Kenshin . . ."

He turned her around in his arms and began to kiss away the tears on her cheeks, working his way up to her eyes. Once there he whispered against her closed eyelid, "I'm sorry. You have no reason to cry, love. I promise that I'll leave you alone. I didn't intend to upset you so much." He moved to back away from her but found his path halted by her arms wrapped just as tightly as his had been around his waist and her face pressed against his chest.

"Don't go! Please . . . don't leave again."

He kissed the top of her head as he replaced his arms around her. "I never left you to begin with."

"In my heart it felt like I had lost you forever. I know how foolish I was now, but it just hurt so much!" Kaoru was sobbing at this point, clutching on to him as though the floor would swallow her up if she let go.

"I know, I know and I'm sorry."

"It's not . . . your fault." She said between sobs.

"Yes it is. If you weren't sure enough of my love for you that you taught for even an instant, let alone all these years, that I could turn you away for another then it's my fault for not loving you enough."

"K-Kenshin . . ."

He buried his face in her hair and inhaled her scent deeply. "Kaoru, look at me."

She slowly raised her head to meet his eyes and when she did he captured her lips with his own in a possessive and powerful kiss. She moaned against him and he took advantage of her open mouth and plundered its depths with his tongue. Kaoru's hands were fisted into his hair at this point and he pulled her even closer to him. She tasted just as he remembered but what he didn't expect was her enthusiasm in returning the kiss so he deepened it even further as he tried to show her that his feelings were still genuine.

When they finally had to break for air, he began a trail of kiss down to the hollow of her neck and spoke softly against her flushed skin. "Gods, Kaoru, but I want you so much right now." He drew in a steadying breath and pulled himself back up to look down into her eyes. "But now is not the time." Kaoru closed her eyes and took a deep breath herself as she nodded slowly. "Soon, when I can give you all the attention that you deserve. We'll get father to watch Kenji for us." Kaoru just nodded up at him.

They stayed that way for several more minutes, just holding on to each other and staring into each other's eyes, but the slamming of the back door broke them out of their reverie. "I'll go see to him. You get dressed."

"Yeah . . . I'll be down in a few minutes." Kenshin kissed her forehead before he left the bathroom. She heard the bedroom door shut behind him when her knees gave out and she collapsed on the floor to a flood of tears.

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Please review. Your support helps me keep going and is so very appreciated.


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